Hornets sending Jalen McDaniels to the G-League speaks to their hope in his development

Rick Bonnell
·3 min read

The Charlotte Hornets are sending second-season forward Jalen McDaniels to the G-League bubble in Florida to play for the Greensboro Swarm.

McDaniels started the season in the Hornets’ rotation, playing in the first seven games. However, he’s played in just two of the last 10, heading into Wednesday’s home game against the Indiana Pacers.

McDaniels was the only non-rookie on the Hornets roster on the initial roster for the Swarm, released Wednesday. As expected, rookies Vernon Carey, Nick Richards, Grant Riller and Nate Darling were all assigned to the Swarm. Also on the roster: Admiral Schofield, the top pick in the G-League draft, and Kobi Simmons, a former Hornets two-way player who was with the team for the two-week mini-camp in the fall.

McDaniels going to the Swarm reflects both how Hornets coach James Borrego has shortened his rotation and the team’s approach to development: Young guys are generally better off playing for the Swarm than watching games with the Hornets.

Forward McDaniels averaged about 12 minutes in the Hornets’ first seven games, then played a total of three minutes in the next 10. Lately, Borrego has used nine players, and only two reserves — Miles Bridges and LaMelo Ball — play heavy minutes. With Borrego working center Cody Zeller (returning from a broken finger) back into the mix, there was no reason to think players not currently playing would in the foreseeable future.

The Swarm is one of 18 G-League teams that will play a 15-game schedule in a bubble on Disney’s campus south of Orlando Fla. — similar to how the NBA completed last season. Hornets assistant Jay Hernandez will coach the team, which should help with synergy in strategy and terminology.

The bubble, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, will complicate players moving back-and-forth between the Hornets and Swarm. Players can’t just be shuttled for one-game stints, the way they could with Greensboro 90 miles from Charlotte. Chances are McDaniels and second-round big men Carey and Richards will be with the Swarm for more than brief stints.

Rozier: Pride to play more man defense

The Hornets’ defense has fallen out of the NBA’s top-10 in defensive efficiency. They have allowed opponents to score 1.119 points per possession over the last three games, tied for 8th-worst in the league.

The Hornets have used zone more than any other NBA team this season. Guard Terry Rozier said after shootaround Wednesday that the players need to show the coaches they can be trusted to play more man-to-man.

“We’ve got to have pride to go more man a lot,” said Rozier. “I think we rely on our zone a little bit, and teams are just picking it apart because they know what we want to do.”

Recent research by Synergy Sports showed the Hornets using zone about 23% of all defensive possessions. The next-closest was the Cleveland Cavaliers at 13%.

Rozier’s comment follows Hornets forward Miles Bridges speaking passionately during a timeout last week in Orlando to shift from zone to man-to-man in the fourth quarter of a comeback win.

Zones tend to be susceptible to open 3-point attempts. Over the last five games, the Hornets have allowed teams to make an average of 18 3s on better than 41% shooting.

Rozier said its on the players — with their performance — to show the coaches they can handle more man defense.

“We just need to be more solid, and that’s all about having pride. Our coaches can’t make us have pride on the defensive end,” Rozier said. “We’ve got to have pride and make stops.”

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